Abstract
Objective
This study was to evaluate the impact of mode of delivery and timing of caesarean
section in extremely preterm births, below 28 weeks of gestation, on long-term survival
and psychomotor outcomes.
Study design
This was a single-centre retrospective cohort study of 84 cases of extremely low birth
weight infants with complete maternal, obstetrical and neonatological information.
Mortality and survival with neurological disabilities at 18 months of life were considered
outcome measures.
Results
Forty percent of deliveries were at or less than 25 weeks of gestation and birth weight
was ≤500 g in 14% of all infants. The overall survival rate was 54.8% with a prevalence of
neuromotor impairment with disability among the survivors of 26.1%. After adjustment
using multiple logistic regression, only extreme prematurity (≤25 weeks) and birth
weight below 500 g had significant effects on survival (p < 0.05), regardless of mode and timing of delivery.
Conclusions
Mode of delivery and labour seem not to play a significant role in adverse neonatal
outcomes, either mortality or neuro-developmental impairment, in extremely low birth
weight infants.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: May 12, 2009
Accepted:
April 21,
2009
Received in revised form:
March 12,
2009
Received:
January 14,
2009
Identification
Copyright
© 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
